INAUGURATION DAY #7: WAG THE DOG (1997, dir by Barry Levinson) Today in honor of a new president's inauguration, we wanted to take a look at 7 very different American movies that each come at the US Presidency in different ways. Taken together they form a kaleidoscopic x-ray of the good and the bad, the inspiring and the cautionary in politics and the Presidency. First up. . .
Read MoreFIRST FEATURE FIREWORKS #12: Who's That Knocking At My Door (1967, dir Martin Scorsese) To kick off the new year, let's take a look at 12 first features this programmer thinks light up cinema with fireworks. First up is Martin Scorsese's debut feature. Like many first features, KNOCKING took Scorsese years, numerous painful re-shoots and re-edits, before it finally. . .
Read MoreGREAT DISRUPTIONS, GREAT MOVIES: This week, we take a look at four amazing movies made during or just after periods of tremendous disruption. As we all look to the new year and the next phase of cinema after COVID, it might be instructive to . . .
Read MoreTHREE WINKS AT CHAPLIN #1: THE KID (1921, dir by Charlie Chaplin) As you try to shake off your post-Christmas food overload glaze and/or begin to start thinking about what 2021 has in store, we thought we'd post three appreciations of three Charlie Chaplin movies. First up is. . .
Read MoreODE TO IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE (1946, dir Frank Capra) PART 1 of 3: For the next three days, we'll be posting a three chapter appreciation of IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE. Frank Capra's holiday classic is one of those movies that just gets better every time you see it. Like . . .
Read More12 FILMS OF CHRISTMAS: #12 Black Christmas (1974, dir by Bob Clark, Canada) Over the next few days, we want to write about some of the classic yet, possibly, still underrated or under the radar holiday movies. One of the great things about Christmas movies is that Christmas can be. . .
Read MoreTHREE GREAT DIRECTOR & WRITER COLLABORATIONS #3: Network (1976, dir by Sidney Lumet, written by Paddy Chayevsky) One of the amazing things about THE SOCIAL NETWORK (our upcoming Netflix Watch Party 6/13/20) is how well it showcases the incredibly strong voices of director David Fincher and writer Aaron Sorkin while weaving together their strengths into a unity as a movie. That got us to thinking. What other great director & writer collaborations have there been? The first and possibly most obvious has to be
Read MoreHAPPY THANKSGIVING SECRET MOVIE CLUBBERS! We're thankful to you for being part of our community of filmlovers and filmmakers. In honor of Turkey Day, we wanted to write this short appreciation of PLANES TRAINS & AUTOMOBILES, John Hughes' Thanksgiving comedy masterpiece. Whatever essence and indescribable whatsit that made John Hughes, John Hughes is on full display here. Hilarious, heartbreaking, heart on its sleeve, this comedy tells. . .
Read MoreEveryone loves a Final Girl, myself included. I love when chicks survive whatever mindf*@king series of violent punishments befall them in film. Revenge is a fatal dish best served . . .
Read MoreTHREE MOVIES THAT COME AT CURRENT ISSUES IN A UNIQUE WAY #3: Bad Education (2004, dir by Pedro Almodovar). We wanted to highlight three 21st century movies that have come at a current topic in a uniquely engaging way. First up is Pedro Almodovar's fascinating movie on the sexual abuse countless Catholic children and adults suffered by clergy who were protected from accountability by higher ups. Rather than tell a straight ahead didactic story. . .
Read MoreGREAT MOVIE SPEECHES ON SOCIAL JUSTICE: Charlie Chaplin's final speech at the end of THE GREAT DICTATOR (1940, dir by Charlie Chaplin). Today we wanted to highlight three instances of incredibly powerful, moving movie speeches on the importance of social justice. It's very hard in movies to get this tone right. So often, though their intentions may be noble, filmmakers can. . .
Read MoreSPIKE LEE MOVIES #5: He Got Game (directed by Spike Lee) In this programmer's opinion, one of Spike Lee's absolute best movies, HE GOT GAME tells the story of an imprisoned father played with raw rage and vitality by Denzel Washington who gets a brief furlough to try to convince his estranged basketball star son (played by real basketball legend Ray Allen) to play for a certain college team. But like many of Lee's movies. . .
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